Piros Improves NCAA Provisional Mark with 202-9 in Javelin

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- Grant Piros (Sr., Newberg, OR/Newberg HS) of Willamette University improved on his NCAA provisional qualifying mark in the javelin by recording a throw of 202'9" at the Willamette Invitational on Saturday, April 4. Piros went eight feet beyond his earlier provisional result of 194'9", set on March 14 against Western Oregon.

The throw was a career best for Piros, who entered the year with a previous top result of 200'4" last season. His throw on Saturday was less than three feet from the NCAA automatic qualifying standard of 205'1". Last year, Piros earned All-America status by placing seventh at the NCAA Division III Championships.

Piros was fourth in the javelin at the WU Invite. Ryan Brandel, competing unattached, won the event with a throw of 215'11". Brandt Nevin (So., Eagle Point, OR/Eagle Point HS) was eighth with a distance of 181'1".

Willamette registered several other strong performances on Saturday.

In the men's 100-meter dash, a trio of WU runner earned solid times. Neal Howard (Fr., Seattle, WA/Ballard HS) took 12th place at 11.28 seconds. Abe Moland (So., Spokane, WA/St.George's School) earned a time of 11.32 seconds, just 0.03 behind his personal best. Merben Woo (Sr., Salinas, CA/North Salinas HS/Hartnell College) recorded a career best by 0.01 as he finished in 11.42 seconds.

Drew Lackman (Sr., Gig Harbor, WA/Gig Harbor HS) claimed third place in the 110-meter hurdles. He completed the race in 15.35 seconds, missing his personal record by 0.01. Trevor May (So., Florence, OR/Siuslaw HS) placed eighth in 15.61 seconds and Piros was 10th at 15.75 seconds. Shaun Ward of Alaska-Anchorage won the 110 hurdles at 15.02 seconds.

Lackman added a fourth place result in the 400-meter hurdles. His time was 54.95 seconds for a new personal record. His old mark was 55.25 seconds. Ward earned a double victory in the hurdles by winning the 400 in 53.30 seconds.

Willamette was fifth in the 4 x 400-meter relay. The Bearcats registered a time of 3:24.64. Alaska-Anchorage took first place at 3:19.40. In the 4 x 100-meter relay, WU clocked in at 43.71 seconds.

The 'Cats received a strong result from Raymond White (Fr., Corona, CA/Centennial HS) in the triple jump. He provided a top distance of 43'3.25" to take fifth place. Jonathan Woodland (Sr., Creswell, OR/Creswell HS) was ninth at 42'6.75".

Two WU throwers combined for a pair of top five finishes in the men's shot put. Jacob Monroe (Sr., Keizer, OR/McNary HS) was fourth at 45'9" and Josh Clothier (So., Walla Walla, WA/Walla Walla HS) placed fifth at 45'2.5"

Monroe, who was sixth in the hammer (167'10") on Friday, also added a fifth place finish in the discus. He registered a throw of 143'4".

The Willamette women's team added a variety of quality performances.

Kaitlin St. John (Jr., Bend, OR/Mountain View HS) earned 12th place in the 100-meter dash. She was clocked at 13.01 seconds.

Jaela Dinsmore (Fr., Hines, OR/Burns HS) was seventh in the 400-meter dash at 59.87 seconds. Edith Polanco (Jr., Salem, OR/McKay HS) registered a time of 2:25.13 in the 800-meter run.

WU senior Brooke Smith (Idleyld Park, OR/Glide HS) was seventh in the 100-meter hurdles. Her time was 15.67 seconds.

Smith, a versatile athlete who earned All-America honors in the heptathlon last year, tied for second place in the high jump on Saturday. She was one of three jumpers to clear 5'1.75". Smith and Chelsea Machida of Linfield College shared second place, while Andrea Richardson (Fr., Beaverton, OR/Aloha HS) of Willamette finished fourth. Erika Schmid of Concordia University (Ore.) won the high jump at 5'3.75".

Smith completed a solid day by throwing the javelin 126'0", just 3.75 inches from the NCAA provisional qualifying standard. Smith placed 10th in a solid field on Saturday. Lauren Sexton of Concordia won the event with a throw of 155'4".

Competing in the women's shot put for WU was Christina Edholm (Jr., Pleasanton, CA/Foothill HS). Edholm took seventh place with a toss of 38'6.25". She also threw the discus 108'6" and was sixth in the hammer (136'1") on Friday.

The Willamette 4 x 100-meter relay team earned a time of 50.37 seconds. WU placed eighth in the event, which was won by Western Oregon University at 48.50 seconds.

On the first day of the Willamette Invitational on Friday, Willamette registered four NCAA provisional qualifying marks. They were created by Kotaich in the men's 1,500 at 3:54.79, and by three runners in the women's 5,000-meter race. Maddie Coffman (Sr., Boise, ID/Boise HS) was timed at 17:02.33, Jena Winger (Sr., Bonney Lake, WA/Sumner HS) completed the event in 17:16.40 and Kimber Mattox (Fr., Bend, OR/Bend HS/Cornell Univ.) achieved a time of 17:32.31.